Edging or other refuse grinder.



Patented Dec. l7, I90l.

N0. 639,l44. E. E. THOMAS.

EDGING OR OTHER REFUSE GRINDER.

(Application filed Sept. 12, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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N0. 689,|44. Patented DBO. I7, I90].

E. E; THUMAS.

EDGING OR OTHER REFUSE GRINDER.

(Application filed Sept. 12, 1901.)

4 Sheets-$heet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 689,144. Patented Dec. :7, I90l.

E. E. THOMAS.

EDGING OR OTHER REFUSE GRINDER.

(Application filed Sept. 12 1901.).

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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N0. 689,144. Patented Dec. l7, l9'0i.

' E. E. THOMAS.

EDGING 0B UTHEB REFUSE GRINDER.

(App licati on filed Sept. 12, 1901.) I 1 (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

o m i Mmewed; I Eowm E. THoMAs UNITE STATES ATENT FFTCE.

EDlVIN E. THOMAS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR. OF ONEIIALF TO UNION IRON WORKS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

ED GING OR OTHER R EFUSE GRINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,144, dated December 17, 1901.

- Application filed geptember 12, 1901. fierial No. 75,188. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern; 7

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. THOMAS, of

. St. Paul, Ramsey county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 5 in Edging or other Refuse Grinders, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to machines for grinding or reducing the refuse of sawmills preparatory to feeding it to the boilers for fuel.

The object of the invention is to provide-a machine of greater capacity and one that will require less power to operate than the machines of this character in general use.

A further object is to provide an improved feeding apparatus, to the end that the material Will be fed in a continuous stream to the cutters.

A further object is to provide a machine that will not only reduce slabs and edgings to chips, but also shingle and hoop shavings and similar material, which heretofore has been considered too light to be successfully handled by fuel-grinders. I

A further object is to provide a grindingmachine that will reduce light refuse material, either when fed alone or mixed with a coarser grade.

A further object is to provide a machine having fewer knives than other grinders, and

hence requiring less time for the operator to sharpen and adjust them.

Other objects of the invention wi'll appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in providing feed-rolls for continuously feeding the material to the cutting-knives.

Further, the invention consists in a corrugated throat-plate whereon the coarse material is held during the cutting operation.

Further,the invention consists in providing a stationary knife at the bottom of the throatplate, which cooperates with the revolving knives to make a shear cut.

Further, the invention consists in the mannor of arranging the revolving knives on their support to the end that a drawing or sliding out may be obtained and the material held at or near the middle of the feed-spout.

Further, the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a refuse grinding machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the feed-. spout. Fig. 4: is a section on the line so a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail of the throat-plate and a section of the grinder-disk, showing the relative positions of the knives. Fig. 6 is an end view of the throat-plate. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same, showing its position with respect to the stationary knife.

In the drawings, 2 represents the base or frame of the machine, resting upon suitable timbers 3 and 4 and supporting a shaft 5, that is mounted in suitable bearings U. The shaft is provided with a driven pulley '7 and near one end with a large cast-metal disk or wheel 8, whereon the knives or cutters are arranged. This disk is preferably hollowed out or recessed on one side from its hub to its circumference, and the web connecting said hub and circumference is provided with a series of slots 9, that have preferably narrow openings in the face of the disk and walls that flare outwardly toward the recessed side thereof. These slots, as shown in Fig. a, are arranged around the axis of the disk in an irregular manner, the corresponding slots on the opposite side of the aXis being substantially parallel, while the adjacent slots are at an angle to each other, so that the knives or cutters therein will be reversely arranged orwill cut in opposite directions.

10 represents the knives arranged in said slots, and while any suitable means may be provided for securing the knives therein I prefer to core out sockets or recesses 11 in the web of the disk on the hollowed side thereof, forming lugs or flanges 12, having a series of holes 13 to receive bolts 14, whose shanks pass through slots 15 in the knife-blades and whose heads engaging said blades hold. them firmly in position While permitting their adjustment to change the position of the cutting edges with respect to the face of the disk.

' 19 in the base, through which the reduced make a sliding or shear cut.

material is discharged into suitable spouts or conveyers beneath. Access to the knives may be had by turning the hood back on its hinge and exposing the hollowed side of the disk.

On the cutting side of the disk I provide a hopper 20, preferably of metal and provided on its under side with a casting 21, having a flat face 22, on which is a rib 23, that is adapted to slip in a groove 24, provided in the fiat upper face of a bracket 25. The bracket 25 is secured on the base 2 by suitable means and is provided with bolts 26, which pass up through the flat face of the casting 21 and secure the parts together.

As shown in Fig. 1, grooved and flat-faced arms 27 and 28 are provided on the bracket 25, on which the hopper may be moved laterally to expose the cutting edges of the revolving knives and permit access thereto.

At the lower end of the hopper I provide a casting 29, integral with the bracket 25 and having an inclined socket 30 for a stationary knife or cutter 31, whose edge cooperates with the cutting edges of the revolving knives to This arrangement of the knives produces a drawing or sliding cut in the material and enables me to feed hoop and shingle shavings into the machine and successfully reduce the same, which could not be done if the cutting edges of the knives were parallel during the cutting operation. In grinding-machines as usually constructed the cutting edges of the knives engage the material squarely with respect to the surface of the same, and hence anything like sh'avings will be bent down around the edge of the stationary block or plate over which the material is fed instead of being cut by the knives. In my invention the drawing action of the knives across the material will completely sever even the thinnest shavings and insure the perfect reduction to chips of all such refuse as shingle and hoop shavings,which heretofore could not be handled in machines of this kind. The stationary knife is adjustable by means of set-screws 32, provided near each end of the same and whereby the space between the cutting edges of the stationary and movable knives may be regulated. Upon the casting 29 is a throa-plate 33, secured thereon by bolts 34, that pass through holes 35 in said casting. These holes .are sufficiently large to permit play of the bolts therein and allow slight movement of the throat-plate. The lower end of said plate engages the face of the stationary knife, and near its upper end said plate is provided with lugs 36, having holes to receive screws 37, fitting loosely therein, the ends of said screws being adapted to enter holes 38, that are tapped in the upper end of the casting 29.

By moving the screws 37 the throat-plate will engage the stationary knife and press the same against the side of its socket and firmly clamp it therein. The stationary knife is thus braced and supported by the walls of its socket and the end of the throat-plate and prevented from becoming accidentally displaced during the operation of the machine. In the top of the throat-plate I provide a series of corrugations 39, running parallel with the bottom of the hopper and terminating near the stationary knife in beveled ends or points 40. The corrugations are substantially level or in line with the cutting edge of the-stationary knife, so that the edgings, slabs, and other coarse refuse material that may be fed down through the hopper will slide over the corrugations onto the cutting edge of the knife without the ends of thematcria-l coming in contact with the face thereof. The corrugations will be forced into the edgings or slabs during the cutting operation and prevent the material from being crowded over to the side of the hopper when struck by the inclined knives. The knives are arranged in concentric groups around the axis of the disk, those of one group alternating i n position with those of the other. I have shown clearly in Fig. 4the position of the knives with respect to the corru gated surface during the shearing operation thereof, one knife of the inner group being shown in position to engage the material on one side of the throat-plate, the position of the next succeeding knife when the disk is turned being indicated by dotted lines on the opposite side of said plate. The edges of these knives, as shown, are at an angle to the plane of the throat-plate, and consequently a sliding or drawing out will be obtained on the material resting thereon, and as the knives are inclined laterally in their support from the sides of the throat-plate toward the mid dle thereof it follows that in passing the discharge end of the hopper and plate the material if forced toward one side by the shearing action of one knife will be immediately forced back again by the opposite action of the succeeding knife. The material is thus kept near the middle of the throat-plate during the reducing process.

The arrangement of the knives to produce a shearing or drawing cut on the material enables me to dispense with a number of the knives that have heretofore been necessary in machines of this character, and the fewer knives that are used or are necessary in the machine the less time and labor has to be expended by an attendant in caring for them. The shearing action of the knives not only permits a reduction in the number used, but

also insures a more perfect and satisfactory grinding of the coarse and fine material and permits the operation of the machine with considerably less power.

In machines of this character as usually made the feed of the material has been irregular and unreliable, sometimes being so fast that the knives become clogged and at other times the feed spouts or pipes being choked up, so that the machine only grinds a small proportion of its capacity.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide means for automatically and continuously feeding the material to the cutters to the end that a uniform continuous stream of chips will be discharged from the machine during its operation. With this end in View I provide a feed-spout 41, located above the hopper 20, between the timbers 42 and 43 and in line with the hopper, to discharge the material therein. Near the bottom of the feedspout I provide a corrugated roll 44, projecting through an opening 45 in the bottom of the spout and mounted on a shaft 46, provided with a sprocket 47, that is driven by a chain 48 from a suitable source of power. The opposite end of the shaft 46 has a sprocket 49, connected by a chain 50 with a sprocket 51, that is integral with a gear 52, said gear being mounted on a shaft 53. The gear 52 engages a similar gear 54, that is mounted on a shaft 55, having bearings on the feed-spout, and said gear 54 has a sprocket 56, connected by a chain 57 with a sprocket 58, securedon a shaft 59, whereon is arranged a second corrugated roll 60. 'One end of the shaft 59 projects through a curved slot 61 in the wall of the spout and is adapted to swing therein. Any suitable means may be provided for supporting the shaft 59; but I prefer to provide bearing-boxes therefor on arms 62, provided on a web 63, that oscillates on the shaft 55. The swinging shaft permits the roll to move toward or from the roll 44 and automatically adjust itself to the volume of material passing down the spout. As the rolls revolve in the same direction, it follows that the slabs and edgings will be grasped by the teeth of the rolls and fed continuously toward the cutting-knives, and as during the cutting operation the slabs and edgings are held firmly by the rolls any backward movement or kicking of the material will be prevented. The movement of the rolls will keep the material in motion in the spent and hopper, prevent clogging of the shavings and fine refuse material and advance the coarse stock as rapidly toward the knives as it can be taken care of thereby, the speed of the rolls being of course regulated according to that of the disk.

In a machine of this character I can grind and thoroughly reduce to chips for delivery to an automatic fuel-feeder all coarse refuse material around a sawmill-such as slabs, edgings, &c.--and also fine material that heretofore could not be successfully ground, and in reducing the same I may feed the coarse and fine material into the machine together or separately and depend upon a complete reduction in either case.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a grinding-machine, the combination, with a base,of a revolving disk mounted thereon, a series of reversely-arranged knives provided in the face of said disk, and a stationary knife wherewith said revolving knives have a drawing or shear cut, substantially as described.

2. In a grinding-machine, the combination, with a base,of a revolving disk mounted therein, a series of knives provided in the face of said disk, and an adjustable stationary knife cooperating with said revolving knives to make a shear or drawing cut, substantially as described.

3. In a grinding-machine, the combination, with a base,of a revolving disk mounted therein, a series of knives provided in the face of said disk, a stationary knife codperating with said revolving knives to make ashear cut, and a corrugated throat-plate whereon the material rests during the cutting operation, substantially as described.

4. In a grinding-machine, the combination, with a base,of a revolving disk mounted thereon, a series of cutting-knives provided in the face of said disk, said knives being arranged in groups one within the other around. the axis of said disk, and those of the outer group being reversely arranged with respect to the others, a stationary member cooperating with said knives to make a shear cut, and a cor rugated throat-plate whereon the material is held during the cutting operation, substantially as described.

5. In a grinding-machine, the combination, with a suitable base, of a revolving disk or wheel mounted thereon, a series of knives provided in the face of said disk, said knives being arranged in groups one within the other, the knives of one group alternating with those of the other and at an angle with respect thereto, and a stationary knife cooperating with said revolving knives, subtantially as described.

6. In agrinding-machine, the combination, with a suitable base, of a revolving disk or wheel mounted thereon, a series of cutters or knives provided in the face of said disk, said knives being arranged in groups one Within the other, the knives of one group alternating in position on the wheel with those of the other and the adjacent knives being at an angle to each other, a stationary knife wherewith said movable knives cooperate, and a corrugated throat-plate providednear. said stationary knife, and with respect to the sides of which, the knives of said groups are oppositely inclined respectively during the cutting operation, substantiallyas described and for the purpose specified.

IIO

7. In a grinding-machine, the combination, with a suitable base,of a revolving disk mounted thereon, a series of knives provided in the face of said disk, a stationary knife or member cooperating with said revolving knives, a hopper, anda throat-plate provided in said hopper and having a series of corrugations running lengthwise with respect to said hopper, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

8. In a grinding-machine, the combination, with a stationary knife, of an adjustable throat-p1ate engaging said knife, substantially as described.

9. In a grinding-machine, the combination,

with a-casting 29 having a socket, of a normally stationary knife adjustably arranged in said socket, and a throat-plate mounted upon said casting and adapted to bear upon the surface of said knife, substantially as described.

10. In agrinding-machine,the combination, with" a feed-hopper, of a stationary knife near the discharge end thereof, and a throat-plate provided in the bottom of said hopper, said plate and knife being relatively movable,sub- Stan-tially as described.

11. In a grinding-machine,the combination, with a base,ofa revolving disk mounted thereon, a series of knives provided in the face of said disk, a feed-hopper, a stationary knife provided near the discharge end of said hopper, and a bracket supporting said hopper and whereon it is laterally slidable to permit access to said revolving knives, substantially asdescribed.

12. In agrinding-machine,the combination, with a base,of a revolving disk mounted thereon, said disk being recessed or hollowed out on one side and provided in its vertical face with a series of slots arranged at an angle with respect to the axis of said disk, a series of knives mounted in said slots, a hood inclosing the hollowed-out portion of said disk at the side of the same, a feed-hopper, and a stationary knife provided near the discharge end of said hopper and cooperatingwith the knives of said disk to produce ashear cut, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

13. In agrinding-machine,the combination, with a base, of a revolving disk or wheel mounted thereon, a series of knives provided in the face of said disk and arranged at an angle with respect to the axis thereof, a feedhopper, a stationary knife provided near the discharge end of said hopper and adapted to cooperate with said knives to produce a shear out, and the revolving feed-rolls provided near said hopper and between which the material passes to said knives, substantially as described.

14. In a grinding-machine,the combination, with abase, of a revolving disk mounted thereon, a series of knives provided in the vertical face of said disk and at an angle to the axis thereof, a feed-hopper, a stationary knife, a corrugated throat-plate provided near said stationary knife, and feed-rolls provided near said hopper between which the slabs and edgings are held during the cutting operation, substantially as described.

15. Inagrinding-machine,the combination, with a suitable base,of a revolving disk mounted thereon, a series of knives arranged in the vertical face of said disk and at an angle to the axis thereof, a stationary knife cooperating with said disk-knives to produce a shear out, a corrugated throat-plate provided near said stationary knife, and means for continuously feeding the material over said throat-plate to said knives, substantially as described.

16. In a grinding-machine,the combination, with a base, of a revolving disk or wheel mounted thereon, a series of cutters provided in the vertical face of said disk at an angle to its axis, a stationary knife cooperating with said disk-knives to produce a shear cut, a hopper, a corrugated throat-plate provided in the bottom of said hopper near said stationary knife, corrugated feed-rolls near said hopper between which the slabs and edgings are fed and firmly held during the cutting operation, the upper feed-roll being mounted in movable bearings to permit oscillation of the roll and automatic adjustment thereof to the volume of feed, substantially as described.

17. The combination, with the revolving knives, of a feed-spout or hopper provided near its discharge end with a series of longitudinal grooves or corrugations.

18. The combination, with the revolving knives, of a feed-spout or hopper provided near its discharge end with a series of longitudinal grooves or corrugations, and feedrolls through which the material passes to said knives.

19. The combination, with the revolving knives,of a feed-spout or hopper-,and a throatplate having a roughened surface provided near the discharge end of said hopper.

20. The combination,with the reversely-arranged revolving knives, of a feed-spout or hopper, a throat-plate having a roughened surface provided near the discharge end of said spout and near the middle of which the material is held by the reverse action of said knives.

21. The combination, with the revolving knives, of a stationary knife with which said revolving knives have a shear or drawing out, a feed-spout or hopper, and a throat-plate having corrugations running lengthwise of said spout.

22. The combination, with the revolving knives, of a stationary knife with which said revolving knives have a shear or drawing out, a feed-spout or hopper, a throat-plate having corrugations running lengthwise of said spout, and feed-rolls through which the material is fed to said knives.

23. The combination, with the revolving knives, of a stationary knife with which said 3 revolving knives havea shear or drawing out,

afeed-spout or hopper, and feed-rolls through In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of September, 1901.

EDWIN E. THOMAS.

In presence of-' RICHARD PAUL,

which the material is fed to said knives. l M. O. NOONAN. 

